PUBLICATION
Nuclear androgen and progestin receptors inversely affect aggression and social dominance in male zebrafish (Danio rerio)
- Authors
- Carver, J.J., Carrell, S.C., Chilton, M.W., Brown, J.N., Yong, L., Zhu, Y., Issa, F.A.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-210622-55
- Date
- 2021
- Source
- Hormones and behavior 134: 105012 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Issa, Fadi, Zhu, Yong
- Keywords
- Aggression, Androgen, Ar, Nuclear steroid receptor, Pgr, Progesterone, Progestin, Social dominance, Steroid, Testosterone, Zebrafish
- MeSH Terms
-
- Aggression
- Androgens*
- Animals
- Humans
- Male
- Receptors, Progesterone
- Social Dominance
- Zebrafish*
- PubMed
- 34153924 Full text @ Horm. Behav.
Citation
Carver, J.J., Carrell, S.C., Chilton, M.W., Brown, J.N., Yong, L., Zhu, Y., Issa, F.A. (2021) Nuclear androgen and progestin receptors inversely affect aggression and social dominance in male zebrafish (Danio rerio). Hormones and behavior. 134:105012.
Abstract
Aggression is a fundamental behavior displayed universally among animal species, but hyper- or hypo-aggressiveness can be maladaptive with negative consequences for individuals and group members. While the social and ecological significance of aggression is well understood, the specific neurobiological and hormonal mechanisms responsible for mediating aggression have not been fully elucidated. Previous studies have shown a relationship between aggressive acts and circulating gonadal steroids, but whether classical nuclear steroid receptors regulate aggression in animals is still uncertain. We examined whether the nuclear androgen receptor (Ar) and nuclear progestin receptor (Pgr) were necessary for aggressive behaviors and maintenance of a dominance relationship in male zebrafish (Danio rerio). Dyadic social interactions of Ar knockout (ArKO), Pgr knockout (PgrKO) and wildtype (WT) controls were observed for two weeks (2-weeks). ArKO zebrafish were significantly less aggressive and had a less defined dominance relationship, whereas PgrKO dominant zebrafish were significantly and persistently more aggressive with a robust dominance relationship. Our results demonstrate the importance of nuclear steroid hormone receptors in regulating aggression of adult male zebrafish and provide new models for understanding of the mechanisms of aggression.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping